A tilter is easy to make. Say you want it 24 inches high. That then is the radius of the circle. Draw it out on plywood with a 24 inch string. (good dimension since plywood is 48"wide and you need two sides.) Forget about other curves (like parabolic or any of the other curves of the conic sections) for this homemade tilter. Just keep it simple with two by fours for the long and upright pieces. If you put on double wheeled rubber castors that will raise it two more inches and make it really mobile in the shop. The problem with tilters is that the "catches", "lips" or "forks" or what ever they are called, cannot be on the bottom of the tilter, they must be up almost an inch. This is because the castors can start to spin out before the catches engage. To ensure the piano will tilt with out this happening, place it (the piano) on two by fours so the casters are off the ground. Just make sure they never touch the ground when you are tilting. If the casters ever touch the ground when you tilt, you risk the piano running off the tilter and the subsequent mess 600 lbs makes when skewing across the floor. If you make longer catches that contact the trap board there is a lot of strain on them. (you can put a stick 3/4 by 3/4 inch the length of the piano to ease these long catches). If you need to carry the tilter to the site, the foldable steel one from the supply houses is the most expedient. Still though a good wooden tilter is always needed in the shop if only to free up your expensive "tailor made" tilter. I will be happy to share plans, experiences and ideas for wooden tilters on the pianotech chats. Hopefully jpgs too. Hmmm perhaps a Journal article also? I am bowled over by the illustrations of John Hartman in the Journal. To see my tilter illustrated by him---and to think I would get paid rather than having to pay him---we would both get paid---talk about a win-win situation. : ) Hey its Saturday night, the night of big dreams and grand illusions. Richard Moody aka ric on the chats..... "Dig the well before you are thirsty" Old Chinese proverb ----- Original Message ----- From: <Alltypetune@aol.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2003 10:20 AM Subject: Re: Tilter; Was ca glue as pin tightener (TILTER) > If anyone gets the tilter that hasn't had one, the will most certainly wonder > why they waited so long. It pays for itself on the first tilt. The only > concern is making sure the forks are secure under the piano, the tilter is > centered, and go easy. > > Ron > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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